Strengthening the Impact of People, Organizations, and Communities

The Patterson Foundation’s philanthropic investments strengthen the impact of people, organizations, and communities. Its work continually flows from its values. TPF’s approach is to use a process of connecting, learning, sharing, evolving, and strengthening. Its collaborative approach is focusing on issues that identify and address aspirations derived from participative processes so interconnected systems can learn, share, and evolve together and realize their common aspirations.

In my work with TPF and its initiatives, it seems TPF can be seen as providing “wind beneath the wings” of people, organizations, and communities wanting to engage together for a better future. Not an ordinary granting foundation, TPF provides resources and expertise, then sticks around help facilitate growth — propelling shared aspirations forward.

When TPF facilitates engagement into purposeful connecting, learning and sharing — people, organizations, and communities begin to evolve and shift the focus from issues to aspirations, from enabling to engaging, from silos to systems, and from outputs to meaningful outcomes from actions taken. As people, organizations, and communities evolve, they are strengthened and can achieve greater impact. TPF’s approach is simple, but not easy. There must be alignment of leadership, willingness, readiness, capacity, and culture.

Here are just a few examples of how TPF initiatives are strengthening people, organizations, and communities for greater impact: